DJ Headphones: Juno Plus Ultimate Buyer's Guide

In this ultimate buyer's guide to DJ headphones, Juno Plus experts have tested and reviewed every major model on the market. We've given each set
of headphones in the list a rating out of five; these ratings take into account quality of sound, comfort, durability and price. The headphones have
been divided into three price brackets and come replete with all the specifications you need, making it easier for you to find the perfect pair
within your budget.

The rubberised, tactile feel of these headphones is pleasing, and they feature a unique 270 degree pivot that adds comfort in a range of monitoring styles. The sound quality and isolation is excellent, and the stereo/mono switch is definitely useful for split cue monitoring. A coiled cable would have been nice, though this is available as an optional extra.

As one would expect from Allen & Heath, these headphones have superb sound quality with extended bass response and excellent isolation. A metal reinforced adjustable headband and replaceable parts will ensure their durability.

All told, the average ear would be hard pressed to tell the difference between these and their bigger brother the HP1000s - aside from their more compact frame, they're still the same rock solid pair of headphones.

These tough, rugged headphones certainly feel the part, and they provide a comfy listening experience and big sound for DJing and listening alike, though the shiny earcup branding is a little conspicuous.

The HDJ1000s offer excellent sound isolation and clarity, a 90 degree swivel mechanism for different monitoring styles as well as a convenient mono/stereo switch for single ear use and exchangeable cables and ear pads.

The new sound isolation chamber technology on the HDJ-1500s produces warm bass, defined mid and detailed high frequencies, all within a well isolated design. The swivel ear cups are reinforced with lightweight magnesium alloy hinges, which are suitable for frequent use. The detachable cable and carry case round off a pair of headphones that will quite rightly prove to be very popular.

Pioneer are renowned for their professional DJ products, and these certainly complement the range very well. Excellent sound quality and isolation, comfortable, and offer replaceable parts, though the price tag is a little hefty.

These gorgeous, sturdy, aluminium and rubber headphones are easily some of the most comfortable you are likely to wear, though the cushioning does seem to muffle the bass somewhat, and the rotary ear cup may put off those looking for a classic swivel function.

Straight out of the box, these ooze quality. The pressure formed case offers great protection while and the stitched encore ear pads were one of the most comfortable when tested at Juno HQ. The sound quality and isolation is excellent and the rugged construction of ABS, steel and aluminium feels solid. An ambidextrous cable that fits in both the left and right earcup with optional remote and replaceable parts round off the design very nicely.

Offering great isolation and very detailed sound across all frequencies, the RP-DH1200s excel in loud environments. Although a little heavy, they have well designed swivelling ear cups for different monitoring styles.

The Ultrasone DJ1s have similar specifications to the DJ1 Pro, except they have more elliptical ear cups which aren't quite as comfortable as the Pro model. They don't feature a detachable cable, but do come with a soft carry case. Performance-wise they are more than capable, delivering a full and detailed sound from the S-Logic Surround Sound technology.

One of the few headphones in this list that sit over the ear as opposed to on the ear, the Ultrasone DJ1 Pros provide a 3-D listening experience. This allows you to monitor at lower volumes, and therefore reduces ear fatigue on long mixing sessions. These really do sound superb; they have great isolation, clear separation between the low, mid and high frequencies, and are comfortable to wear. Recommended.

Like their bigger brother, the XD-40s offer superb sound quality and isolation. The low end doesn't extend as much but that is to be expected given the smaller drivers. The clarity is excellent and the frequencies are well balanced. They are lightweight and comfortable, have a metal reinforced headband for durability and are well suited to small bar and club DJing.

The bold, stiff design may not be to everyone's taste, but the isolating earphones allow full appreciation of the strong bass response, while the ambidextrous audio input cable will find favour with left-handed DJs.

Despite the light, matt plastic finish, the 6400s feel sturdy, and are extremely comfortable to wear and the detachable cord is a plus. The mid-range response is excellent, although the bass may lack punch for those who need it.

Although these chunky, bright headphones don't have the most mature of designs, they're certainly solid with nicely cushioned earpads. However, the bass, although strong might lack a little definition for some, though you won't have trouble picking out hi-hats in a mix. A good all-round performer for the price.

Whilst the bass from the HDJ-500s is undeniably beefy, the lack of earcup swivel may put off those wanting to DJ with them - however the microphone attachment makes them much more versatile than your average DJ headphones.

Great sound for this price, combined with comfort and effective isolation. The replaceable parts (which include straight and coiled cables, two sets of earpads and a carry bag) make these headphones a good mid-range choice.

Respectable sound reproduction from the 50mm drivers, and flexible ear cups allow for easy positioning. However, the jack adaptors are clearly an afterthought, opting for a curiously awkward 6.3-3.5mm adaptor, rather than the standard configuration.

With their shiny, plasticky finish with faux velour earpads, you might feel like you're in a tacky 70s disco club, but there's no denying their comfort or their strong bass response - though the highs and mids can sound sludgy.

The concept of the mono stick is not going to be for everyone, but if you want to make a statement, this is the way to go. Its rubber grip will certainly not fail you in the usability stakes, but the high range frequencies and loss of stereo imaging simply don't feel sharp enough to justify buying this over a good pair of normal headphones.

Like their bigger brother, the unique compact 3D axis design is attractive and solid, and for headphones in their category offer a remarkably clear sound in the upper frequencies, with a punchy bass that while not massive, is clearly defined. An excellent budget choice.

Although lacking in high frequency response, the low end presence is fine, but overall these sound quite woody. The budget materials affect the build quality and comfort, but for the price, you could do worse.

Like its bigger brother, the ATHT200 offer a comfortable, well designed package for the minimum of cash - however those looking for a fuller listening experience may be better off spending a bit more money.

On looking at these headphones you'd be forgiven for thinking they're much more expensive than they are. Although the head support offers a comfortable listening experiences, the bass may be lacking for some. Overall, value for money.

While certainly not suited to extended periods of home listening, the swivel cups lend themselves to those who need a budget pair of DJ headphones - though the mids can occasionally get lost in the swampy bass frequencies.

Although they pack a bigger bass punch than their younger sibling the HP350 Pro, and are certainly more comfortable to wear, the slightly muted mids and slightly stiff swivel cup aren't ideal for DJing.

Headphones with this design are few and far between. If this particular style attracts you, then at this price these are probably one of the very few that you'll find on the market. They have reasonable sound quality and volume, with an XLR to 6.35mm Jack and carry case.

Although these headphones do a decent enough job for the money, you get the sense that their not particularly snug fit is letting their isolation down, while the mid range frequencies sound somewhat tinny, although the volume control is a nice touch.

Although these are certainly the ugly sibling of Reloop's otherwise classy design range, for under 10 you're unlikely to find a more comfy pair of headphones, although the higher ends of the spectrum can be slightly muffled - though for 10 they are a steal.

These small but perfectly formed headphones are surprisingly punchy in the sound department, and although they certainly don't stand up to the big boys, for portability and all round sound reproduction you can't go far wrong.

As ever with Sennheiser, these headphones feel solid - and despite the swivel ear cup perhaps too solid for those DJing who might want a little more flexibility, but the sound isolation and response is as good as you'll get for the price.

Although the name suggests these should be a pro set of DJ headphones, the lack of any kind of flexibility makes them impractical for one ear monitoring. Having said that, the sound is clear, and would make a decent home monitoring headphone on a budget.

Although DJ headphones with one earphone are in theory a good idea, they do really need to be designed with either ear in mind, which these are not - though the higher frequencies are decent enough which is what's required of this kind of monitoring headphone.

Although the combination of blue and yellow is not to everyone's tastes, these headphones are light, portable, and supremely flexible - though the default size may not be snug enough for some, the sound is big for the price.

Despite being billed as DJ headphones, they feel far too insubstantial for such a task, and though their size makes them more suited to portable listening, their still nature makes them likely to be uncomfortable for extended listening, though the black with gold trim will be attractive to many.

Let's get the elephant in room out of the way first - the pink diamonte stylings will get you laughed out the venue if you turn up to a gig wearing these - regardless of gender, but the DJ Mayumi designed phones are supremely comfortable, and sound good.

While these run of the mill headphones are neutral and compact enough, they felt a bit tight for our liking, and the sound, while concise enough in the bass department, was less distinct in the higher frequencies.

Colours

Glossary

Cable length (m):
Most headphone cables vary between 1-4m - the longest will not always be the best option as excess cable can become unwieldy and weigh you down when trying to DJ.

Cable type (Coiled/straight cable):
Coiled cables are always a better option than a straight cable for DJing - their spring like nature help to prevent the headphones being snagged and pulled out suddenly - something that can often damage the sensitive wires within.

Closed back design:
Closed back headphones have the back of the earcup closed - this function serves to isolate background noise, essential when mixing in a loud club environment.

Detachable cable:
A detachable cable is often advantageous, allowing you to switch between coiled or straight cable designs for different applications. It is also much cheaper to replace a faulty cable than to buy a new set of headphones.

Driver diameter (mm):
The larger the driver diameter, the more bass response the headphones will have, which is essential for accurate DJ monitoring.

Driver type:
DJ headphones almost exclusively use dynamic drivers, essentially a mini speaker, giving you clarity, high SPL and lots of bass without the need for extra amplification.

Frequency range (Hz):
The range of human hearing is 20Hz (low, sub frequencies) through to 20kHz (bright, high frequencies), although this lessens with age and the level of exposure to high volumes. Any frequencies outside of this range are generally deemed irrelevant as you can't hear them and are more of a product marketing gimmick than superior sound quality fact.

Jack size + type:
The 3.5mm (1/8 inch) jack is the industry standard for music headphones and most other electronic devices. However, most professional studio, DJ and non-portable equipment often require a 1/4 inch plug. The best headphones come with an adapter, meaning you can switch between the two with ease.

Max input (mW):
The higher the input power, the less distortion will be heard when listening at high volume. An input power of around 3000mW will have little or no distortion at all - but this will come with a higher price tag.

Sensitivity (dB/mW):
The higher the sensitivity, the greater the volume level the headphones will be capable of producing. Prolonged exposure to high volume levels can damage your hearing so make sure you keep this to a minimum or consider using specialist earplugs that will attenuate certain harmful frequencies.

Swivelling ear cups:
A swivelling ear cup design allows DJ's to easily use one ear for cuing and the other for monitoring the booth and master mix levels, which is essential for accurate beat matching, whilst freeing up both hands to operate the equipment efficiently.

Weight (g):
Although heavier headphones can often be much sturdier propositions, lighter headphones reduce the fatigue that can come from extended mixing sessions. A well designed pair of headphones can be both light and durable if constructed from quality materials.

The Juno Plus guide to buying DJ Headphones

With an ever increasing number of headphones on the market for any number of different uses, how should you decide what headphones are best suited to you, the DJ?
Here's our guide to what to look out for and what to avoid.

There are essentially two different kinds of headphones. Open cupped headphones are designed to let in certain amounts of the surrounding ambient sound,
but when you're in a noisy DJ environment it's generally agreed that you're usually going to be better served with close cupped (sometimes called close backed) headphones,
which are designed to minimise the amount of environmental noise so that you can monitor your music in isolation.

Every set of headphones comes with a different length and type of lead. Some are straight fixed and some are coiled. Everyone has their own preference but we recommend the
coiled type as it's very easy to get tangled up in the straight version, and it's easy to damage your cans and the mixing console they're plugged into if they're ripped from
your head by someone standing on the cable in a busy DJ booth. We also recommend the cable be attached to the headset from one side rather than both, as the double-sided type
tend to end up strangling you if they become tangled.

Most headphones are designed with a 3.5mm jack at the end, sometimes called a mini-jack, and they're almost always used on portable music playing devices such as MP3 players
or in smart phones. However, most DJ mixers are only equipped to handle the larger 6.25mm jacks. These larger jacks are easily identified as they're the same size as ones that
you might find coming out of electric guitars or synths. Make sure your headphones come with a 6.25mm (1/4") adapter.

While you're in the mix, you're probably going to be monitoring your cued music in your headphones and at the same time be listening to the booth mix so you can match the tempo
and bring your music into the mix in time and at the most pertinent point. To do this you're going to want to swivel one of the cups away from your ear. Some headphones have
swivelling cups and others are made from material that is strong but malleable enough to be able to be twisted away. Good headphones are designed to make it comfortable and
easy to switch between positions.

You may find yourself in the situation where there is a delay (in milliseconds) in the sound coming from the dance floor and the booth monitor, in which case you're probably
going to want to turn off the booth sound and cue and beat match in your headphones. Depending on what level you're at and how often you're spinning this could be a common occurrence,
so it would be wise to have headphones that allow you to hear as wide a range of frequencies as possible.

Headphones are subject to a huge amount of wear and tear as they're constantly being twisted about, stuffed into the corner of a DJ bag, stamped on or pulled apart in the heat
of the moment. It's well worth finding a pair that has replaceable parts, especially the connecting cable as it is usually the first thing to get worn out. Leads are prone to getting
worn out at the jack end; there are some headphones on the market with a jack that is bent at 90 degrees and this design lessens the chances of early wear and tear. Some headphones
also come with replacement ear pads as standard, which is also a nice touch.

As you're going to be using your headphones for prolonged periods of time, it would make sense that they are comfortable to wear. Most headphones have adjustable headbands and it
might seem obvious, but headphones that don't fit your head properly aren't going to sound the way the designers intended. It's also desirable that the cups actually fit over your
ears rather than riding on them as this can end up being uncomfortable after a while. The driver diameter of headphones can be anything between 35mm to 53mm. Most adjustable headphones
also fold down into a small and handy size so they can be packed into your DJ bag without taking up too much space, and if it comes with a handy pouch to keep them in then, all the better.

To find the right set of headphones to suit your budget, you might want to consider how often you're using them, and what kind of environments you're going to find yourself playing in.
One thing for certain is that headphones are an essential tool for every DJ and finding a pair that you're comfortable with is a personal, and very important, choice.